As the regular season winds down, Brennan Oleynichak continues to be a force in the trenches — setting the tone with every snap and every block. The senior lineman has been a cornerstone of the Spartans’ success, helping pave the way to a 4-4 record in the face of tough competition in the Illini Prairie Conference this season. In his Spartan Senior Salute: 12 and Out, he shares his favorite coaching advice and more.
Sentinel: What is your favorite class at St. Joseph-Ogden High School?Oleynichak: Trigonometry/ Pre-Calc
Sentinel:What is your go-to pregame meal?Oleynichak: Uncrustable and Gatorade
Sentinel:What is your dream car?Oleynichak: GMC Sierra 1500
Sentinel:Name theree people you would invite to dinner if you won the lottery?Oleynichak: Jonathon Taylor, Cody Johnson, Wyatt Wertz
Sentinel:What is the best coaching advice you ever had?Oleynichak: "Don’t be a JAG," Coach Sweeny
Sentinel:Name an Instagram handle everyone should follow.Oleynichak: @brennanoley27
Sentinel:If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you booking a flight?Oleynichak: Bora Bora
Sentinel:What is your hype-song?Oleynichak: Dreams and Nightmares- Meek Mill
Sentinel:If you were a superhero, what would your alias be and your two main super powers?Oleynichak: Super O. - Strength and ability to read minds
Sentinel:Favorite place to eat with you friends?Oleynichak: Buffalo Wild Wings
Sentinel:If you could become a professional athlete, what sport would you be playing?Oleynichak: Football
Sentinel:What other sports have you played at St. Joseph-Ogden and for how long?Oleynichak: Track and Field, all four years
The visiting Sages rally in the second half to spoil Spartans' homecoming weekend. Here's 20 photos from Friday night's Week 6 Illini Prairie game.
First half | The Big Play: Kaden Wedig hauls in a pass on 42-yard touchdown play for St. Joseph-Ogden in Friday night's homecoming game against Monticello. Going up 21-7, it would be the last time the Spartans would be able to put the ball in the end zone. The Sages would go on to score three times in the second half to defeat SJO 28-21 in the Illini Prairie Conference game. After the contest, both teams need just two wins for a guaranteed spot in this year's IHSA football championships. See 19 more photso from this game below.
Tim Blackburn-Kelley and Willis Canamore break through the Spartan banner during team introductions before the start of the game. Blackburn-Kelley finished the Week 6 game with three catches for 21 yards.
Brennan Oleynichak lifts quarterback Kodey McKinney to celebrate the Spartans' first TD of the game against the Sages. The senior signal caller scored two of SJO's three touchdowns, finishing the game with 68 rushing and 230 passing yards in the home loss.
SJO junior Jackson Ennis and Monticello's J.D. Bailey battle on the line of scrimmage in the first half.
Monticello's Nolan Buehnerkemper finds an open receiver to throw to during first quarter action against the Spartans. After scoring on a 1-yard blast into the end zone with 13 seconds left in the first quarter, he added two more touchdowns to the Sages' side of the scoreboard in the third quarter on runs of 5 and 2-yards.
Spartans' Coy Hayes tries to get around Sages' Will Osborne to make a tackle during the game.
Monticello's Maddox Utley takes a handoff from quarterback Nolan Buehnerkemper during second half action against the St. Joseph-Ogden. Utley finished the game with 118 of the Sages' 167 rushing yards to help his team improve to 4-2 on the season.
Monticello lineman J.D. Bailey celebrates with Nolan Buehnerkemper after the quarterback's touchdown, making the score 21-6 in the first quarter.
Monticello lineman Nate Darnell tries block St. Joseph-Ogden defensive lineman Liam Carter who was blitzing on the play. Darnell was called for holding moving the ball behind the original line of scrimmage.
With only one player between him and a touchdown St. Joseph-Ogden's Logan Umbarger carries the ball for a first down in the second quarter. Defensive back Nolan Buehnerkemper made the stop for the Sages. Umbarger, a sophomore, finished the game with 30 yards on seven carries for SJO.
St. Joseph-Ogden High School inducted four new members into their Hall of Fame. This year's inductees honored at halftime included (left to right) Bobbi (Duval) Busboom, Morgan (Finn) Gooding, Bianca (Truitt) Green, and former principal Mike McKenzie.
A clarinet player from the SJO Marching Band performs during the halftime show.
Keeping the beat, a St. Joseph-Ogden percussionist stays focused during the halftime performance.
A marching band flag team member performs during halftime, adding color and precision to the show.
SJO marching band flag team members add color and excitement during the final song of halftime.
A St. Joseph-Ogden fan smiles as fans sing the school song with the band after halftime.
St. Joseph-Ogden football fans and family clap during the school song before the second half.
Monticello's Maddox Utley losses the ball after running into a wall of Spartan defenders. Maddux Musselman (not pictured) recovered the ball, but officials blew the whistle, ruling the ball dead before it slipped from Utley's grasp.
Playing on the defensive side of the ball, Spartan Jameson Ennis quickly works his way around Sages' J.D. Bailey while trying to get into the Monticello backfield.
4th Quarter | The Final Blow: Monticello's Maddox Utley avoids a tackle attempt by Lane McKinney. After slipping away, Utley took the ball 48 yards down the field for the go-ahead, game-winning touchdown with 7:24 left to play in the ball game.
TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden football photos, Monticello Sages football, Illini Prairie Conference Week 6, high school football photography, SJO homecoming 2025, Maddox Utley Monticello, Kodey McKinney SJO quarterback, Central Illinois prep football, The Sentinel sports gallery, SJO marching band halftime
Tanner Siems bursts through the Spartan banner followed by the rest of the team during the pregrame introduction on Friday at Dick Duval Field. Hours later St. Joseph-Ogden would emerge victorious in the home game against Unity, 24-21.
An SJO student fan cheers during first-quarter action against the visiting Rockets. It took a little under eight minutes for the Spartans to light up the scoreboard on their way to their second conference win.
Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden Maroon Platoon cheer for the Spartans during the first half of the game. SJO led the Illini Prairie Conferenc game at the half, 21-14 .
Unity running back Garrett Richardson finds plenty of running room against the Spartans in the first half.
Unity running back Garrett Richardson is brought down an 11 yard run.
Kaden Wedig hangs on to pass during first half action against the Rockets.
Virtually untouched, Rocket running back Garrett Richardson slides into the end zone on a six-yard run for a third-quarter touchdown to tie up the score at 21-all.
Unity's Tyler Henry shoves St. Joseph-Ogden's Tim Blackburn-Kelley out of bounds. Blackburn-Kelley finished Friday's game with seven yards rushing on four carries and two catches for 23 yards. He also tallied a 32-yard run on a kick return and two more on a punt return.
Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden's Class of 1994 are recognized between quarters. The alumni enjoy their reunion weekend with a Spartan football victory.
Drummer for the March Spartans pounds out beat during a break in the action on the field.
A Spartan cheerleader keeps an eye on the action on the field. This year's 20-member squad kept fans and the student section cheering all four quarters of the home game.
St. Joseph-Ogden linebacker Brayden Waller block Unity's Coleton Langendorf.
Wyatt Wertz scampers past a Unity lineman. Wertz delivered 19 of SJO's 159 yards on the ground.
Unity's Tyler Henry avoids St. Joseph-Ogden's Tayton Gerdes while returning a kickoff. His only return on special teams, Henry took the ball 49 yard before being stopped by the Spartans.
SJO's Carson Sarnecki and Quincy Jones wrap up Unity running back Garrett Richardson during third quarter action.
Covered by Unity's Ryan Rink, Spartan receiver Kaden Wedig snags the ball for a fourth-quarter catch.
Brennan Oleynichak lifts teammate Coy Taylor into the air after his 26-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. Taylor tallied a game-high 105 yards with nine catches.
Kaden Wedig hauls in a pass despite in-his-face coverage from Unity's Graydin Cler during the fourth quarter. Wedig, who finished with three catches for 42 yards, fell out of bounds in what could have been the go-ahead touchdown for the Spartans.
Waiting to go back in, Spartan quarterback Kodey McKinney gazes at the scoreboard at Dick Duval Field during the fourth quarter. The junior signal caller scored St. Joseph-Ogden's first TD on a one-yard run in the first quarter. He finished his second varsity game with 43 rushing yards and threw for 268 yards against the Rockets.
Spartan manager Cameron Kuchenbrod heads back to the sidelines after giving water to players during a timeout.
Rockets' Brayden Henry breaks up a pass play to Spartans' Tanner Siems early in the fourth quarter. Siems finished the regular season contest with a 22-yard touchdown in the first quarter and 110 yards.
Unity's Dane Eisenmenger looks to make a throw in the fourth quarter. The junior quarterback completed seven of his 12 passes for 110 yards and tacked on 15 rushing yards in the loss to the Spartans.
Rockets' Garrett Richardson stiff arms Tim Blackburn-Kelley on a carry during the fourth quarter. Richardson had 22 carries for 90 yards and a 19-yard catch in Unity's second game of the season.
Surrounded by teammates Wyatt Wertz, Cameron Wagner, and Gabe Mata, SJO kicker Charlie Schmitz enjoys the moment after kicking the game-winning field goal from 31 yards out with 1.2 seconds left on the clock to seal a 24-21 victory.
Spartan lineman Josh Courter celebrates with this team after SJO's second-straight regular season win over Unity.
